Wrong man arrested sues

A Philadelphia man mistakenly charged with third-degree murder in connection with a fatal crash in 2010 has filed a civil suit in federal court against the officers who arrested him.

Kenneth Woods, 23, of the 4000 block of Aspen Street, had charges dropped in a fatal DUI crash that left a Villanova student dead and his friend critically injured after the driver of the striking vehicle turned himself in to police. Woods faced charges of third-degree murder, homicide by vehicle, driving with a suspended license, fleeing or attempting to elude police, accidents involving death or personal injury, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010, when a Haverford Township police officer spotted a Range Rover at Haverford and Eagle roads that had been reported stolen. The driver of the Range Rover fled, reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph before plowing into a Volkswagen Jetta driven by 21-year-old Daniel Giletta, who died in the crash. A passenger in the car, Frank DiChiara, 22, was seriously injured. Both victims were students at Villanova University.

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The Range Rover was empty when police arrived at the crash scene. A fingerprint on the vehicle led police to arrest Woods at his Philadelphia home the next day. According to reports published in the Delaware County Daily Times, Woods denied being in the Range Rover at the time of the crash when he was arraigned in district court.

The day after Woods’ arrest, a Bryn Mawr man contacted police and confessed to being the driver of the Range Rover. Donnie Sayers said he drank a 40 ounce bottle of beer and smoked PCP before the fatal crash. In May 2011, a Delaware County judge sentenced Sayers to 13 to 26 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Woods did admit to being the vehicle earlier in the day, but he was not present during the accident. He is seeking $250,000 in damages from Haverford Township Police Chief Carmen Pettine, Sgt. Daniel Wallower, Det. Jerre Goodman, Officer Thomas McDermott and a Philadelphia Detective. Woods alleges that the defendants violated his civil rights and constitutional protections against illegal search and seizure and accuses them of false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of the process of law, negligent infliction of emotional distress and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

At the time of his release from custody, Woods told reporters that he wasn’t angry and just wanted to move on with his life. Reports indicate that Woods lost his job at McDonald’s as a result of his arrest.